EXCESSIVE VALUATIONS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9425, 22 April 1909, Page 2

EXCESSIVE VALUATIONS.

DISCUSSED BY FARMERS. " Speaking at a meeting of Auckland ' .Executive of the Farmers’. Union on ,Friday, tlie President, Mr Allan Ball, remarked that'Che increases in :j;iand. < valuations this yea? were ‘ dimply astounding. In some cases the valuations had doubled; land ,/ valued formerly at £8 per acre was ‘ now assessed at £l6 and £l7. increase was going on r 1 ghtthrongnout the Dominion, and, as far as he could see, if the rate of increase went on a little longer no one would he able to hold freehold land. Farmers throughout the Dominion should take a solid stand in jthis master. He would move, That his executive take steps to hold conferences of farmers in suitable places throughout, the province, for tne ■ purpose.of considering the advisableness of bringing influence to bear on the Government, with, a view to doing away with the present system p£ valuation, and substituting one more practical and fairer to the farming community.” What he , wanted to see discussed was the systett* of rating. His own °P ID was that the rating should be on the annual value of the land. Under the present system of forcing up values, the Government was playing into the . hands of the land speculator. ■ Mr J. O. Boddie remarked that protests against excessive valuations often broke down, because the valuers were able to quote sales at figures exceeding the valuations. What was wanted was some equality ahont the system. Recently the .Prime Minister had indicated that there would be a decided ohange_xn tfle system of valuation. The especially annoying thing was the utter under-valuing of improvements on bush and swamp land. No one could tell the real amount improvement required to bring in bush and swamp land, and the consequence was that the allowanoe under that ' Jiead was ridiculously small. In some districts •ver-speoulation had raised valuations to an enormous extant, Band now that a slight depression was felt the valuations should have decreased rather than increased." , . The President said every farmer . -knew hew impossible it was to assess r |improvements at their true value, and, therefore, the syste® broke down at the outset. The system of taxation on*annual value was comparatively simple, and would he infinitely Jretter fchan the ridiculous system now in vogue. Mr Oolbeok : You can compel the Government to take land af'yoUr s valuation, plus ten per cent. If the vainer deolnies to reduce the valuation to your estimate. The President: Yes; but thousands of people would not part with their homes for treble the market value, and that is the spirit that should be encouraged. The motion was carried unanimously.